Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has ordered the immediate transfer of all officers stationed at Kaptagat Police Station in Elgeyo Marakwet County. This directive follows the shocking discovery that two officers from the station were allegedly involved in slaughtering stolen cows.
In a press statement shared with newsrooms, Kanja announced that the transferred officers would be replaced with a new team while investigations into the incident continue. The swift action came as tensions soared, with protests erupting in the area after a cow reported missing from a local village was found slaughtered at the station.
Angry residents stormed Kaptagat Police Station, vandalized signposts, and commandeered a police vehicle, which they used during demonstrations. They demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and called for scrutiny of past cases of stolen livestock, alleging police complicity.
Preliminary findings from police headquarters suggest that some officers at the station had been involved in stealing livestock, slaughtering the animals, and distributing the meat to local butcheries in Kaptagat.
As the crowd grew more aggressive, two implicated officers fled the station to escape the wrath of the mob. A police officer attached to the Elgeyo Marakwet County Assembly intervened, preventing the station from being set ablaze.
The ongoing investigation seeks to uncover the extent of the cattle theft operation and establish any connections between the stolen livestock, the motivations behind the scheme, and the involvement of local collaborators.
Inspector General Kanja’s decisive intervention is aimed at restoring public trust and ensuring accountability in a region where police officers are now under intense scrutiny.
